Electrical pocket writing and reading lamp



June 13, 1939. F, K TAL 2,161,872

ELECTRICAL POCKET WRITING AND READING LAMP F'l dOt. 26, 1937 2 .11 1e 0 2 FRHNZ KUETHZJ Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES ELECTRIQAL POCKET WRITING AND READ- ING LAMP Franz Kostal, Vienna, Austria, assi'gnor to Wil helm Ernst Reeser, Modling-Hinterbruhl, Austria Application October 26, 1937, Serial No. 171,047 In Austria January 25, 1937 3 Claims.

My invention has for its object toprovide an adjustable battery lamp, which in its closed position may be carried in the pocket and which, in its open position, provides an excellent illumination of the writing or reading surface of a writing pad or book, on which it may be easily attached. The lamp according to the invention allows to read and write in the darkness and is therefore particularly adapted for military and' police use. I

With this main'object in view my lamp comprises a tubular casing, containing a battery 01" dry cells and to) which is movably connected ahollow arm rotatably mounted on one end of said 1 casing and bearing on its free end a receptacle for a flashlight lamp. The casing may be provided with means for clamping the whole structure for instance to the edge of a book or pad. The swivel joint between the casing vand said arm is arranged to form a contact means for transmitting the current to said lamp-receptacle during the rotation of the arm. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the said contact means are arranged to form a switch which shuts off the current in the closed position of the lamp, so that the same cannot be lighted accidentally while carried in the pocket in its closed position.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a section along the axis of the device in its closed position, Fig. 1a a fragmentary section of the upper part of the battery casing along the axis at right angle to the section of Fig. 1; Fig. 2

5 shows the device in a perspective view in its open or operative position, Fig. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the device and Fig. 4 shows in. perspective View the lamp according to Fig. 3 in'use and clamped to a writing pad in its open position.

I With reference to the drawing, 1 is a tubular casing made for instance of metal andclosed at one end by a cap 2 and at the other end by a screw-cap 3 bearing a coil-spring 4. Dry cells {rand 6 are arranged in axial alignment in a shell 1 of cardboard and inserted into the casing l where they are pressed towards the upper end (Fig. l) by the spring 4. A hollow metal arm 8 50 of substantially U-shape is rotatablymounted' in the upper end of the casing I, one of the legs of t e U being perpendicular to the axis of said casing and journalled in openings of the walls of the same. Said openings may be. open slots 5 closed by the lower edge of cap 2, so that the leg of the arm 9 may be easily mounted and removed. Y

A hollow drum H) of insulating material is mounted on said leg of the arm 8 and bears a contact ring II to which the conductor of an insulated wire 9 is soldered or otherwise connected. Said wire is enclosed within the hollow arm 8 and passes through an opening or slot in said arm and another slot in the drum l0. One contact, for instance the positive contact 6a of 10 the dry cell 6 is pressed by the spring 4 against the ring ll. To the other end of the arm 8 a tubular lamp casing l2 made of metal is rigidly attached or movably hinged. Said casing contains a washer l 4 I3 of insulating material having a central contact screw or rivet l4 to which the conductor of the insulted wire 9 is soldered or otherwise attached. A reflector I5 is screwed or otherwise fixed to the lamp casing l2 and forms a receptacle for a 20 flashlight lamp IS, the tip of said lamp making contact with the screw I4.

0n the casing l means are attached to clamp the same to the edge of a book or writing pad. Said means may comprise a wing I! of thin spring 25 sheet metal soldered to the casing I, two U- shaped slots forming two resilient tabs l8, so that the book or pad 20 or a part thereof may be clamped between said tabs l8 and the wing II,

as shown in Fig. 4. 30

In operation, the arm 8 is swung to the position shown in Fig. 2. The current passes from the positive contact 6a. of the dry cell 6 to the ringand through'the conductor of the insulated wire 9 and screw [4 to the tip contact of the lamp IS. The shell contact of said lamp is connected through the metal casing l2, arm 8 to the casing l and by means of the spring 4 to the negative contact of dry cell 5. The dry cells 5 and 6 are connected in series, as usual and as 40 shown in Fig. l.

Switching may be effected by turning the screw cap 3 and thus tightening and loosening the spring 4. In; the embodiment shown in Fig. 1a; a sector of the ring II is cut away and replaced by insulated material Illa. The drum III is so positioned on the leg of the arm 8 that in the closed'position of the device, the contact 6a rests upon the insulating piece Illa. as shown by Fig. 1a., the current being interrupted in this position. If the arm 8 is swung into its operative position, the contact 6a slides upon the ring II and contact is automatically established.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the whole arm or a part of the arm 8 is formed by av 2 flexible'metal tubing 8o, so that the lamp casing II with the lamp l6 may be brought to the most convenient position for writing or reading. In-

its other end, said leg being rotatably mounted at one end of said casing,a drum oi insulating material upon said leg within said casing, a contact ring upon said drum, abattery enclosed within said casing, a spring urging said battery towards said contact ring, and an insulated wire concealed within said tubular arm, the conductor of said wire being connected to said contact ring and to the tip contact of said receptacle.

2. In a device of the class described, a tubular casing, a wing projecting from said casing and having tabs adapted to clamp a book or pad, a tubular arm bearing on one end a lamp receptacle and having a leg bent at a rightangle on its other end, said leg being rotatably mounted at one end of said casing, a drum oi. insulating material upon said leg within said casing, a .contact ring upon said drum, a segment of said ring being' cut away, a battery, enclosed within said casing, a spring urgingsaid battery towards said contact ring, and an insulated wire concealed within said tubular arm, the conductor of said wire being connected to said contact ring and to the tip contact of said receptacle.

3. In a device of the class described, a tubular casing provided with means for clamping the object to be illuminated, said casing being" adapted to enclose a battery, a straight, hollow arm of greater length than said casing and pivotally connected with one or its ends to one end of said casing, a tubular receptacle attached to the other endoi said arm, capable of being brought into alignment with the battery casing, in one position, and conducting means within' said hollow arm to transmit current from a battery within the casing to the said lamp receptacle.

-- FRANZ KOSTAL. 

